Travellers to the US can expect long delays at major airports throughout the
summer, following cuts to the country's air traffic control budget.

A large number of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) 15,000 air traffic controllers were forced to take unpaid leave this week, resulting in waits of more than two hours across the country.

The situation is likely to last until the new US financial year begins on October 1, meaning travellers can expect delays throughout the key summer season. The FAA warned that New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport and Chicago's O’Hare International Airport will be among the worst hit.

Other popular destinations for British holidaymakers, including Miami and Tampa, will also be affected.

It estimated that around 6,700 flights a day will be delayed, both on the ground and in the air. By contrast the largest number of flights delayed in a single day last year was 2,994.

“Controllers will space planes farther apart so they can manage traffic with current staff, which will lead to delays at airports,” the FAA said in a statement.

Air passengers have already found themselves stranded on tarmac and stuck at airport gates just a few days into the cuts. This week a third of flights at New York's LaGuardia airport were delayed by at least 15 minutes - compared to a daily average of around six per cent. A similar number of flights were affected at Washington's Reagan National Airport, while around one in five flights from Newark, New Jersey and Philadelphia were hit. Flights to Florida were delayed by up to an hour, and those to LA by up to three hours.

FAA employees, including air traffic controllers, have been forced to take one day’s unpaid leave per fortnight, as the agency strives to cut $637m (£416m) from its budget, as part of sweeping government austerity measures.

The cuts will only be lifted if Congress agrees a long-term plan for US deficit reduction, an unlikely outcome before the summer holiday season begins.

The US Travel Association, a Washington-based non-profit organisation which represents all sectors of the travel industry, has put pressure on politicians to resolve an issue that it estimates could cost the US $9.3billion (£6.07billion) in lost economic output.

Roger Dow, US Travel Association president and CEO, said: “The expected delays will frustrate millions and discourage people from travelling. We urge the FAA and Congress to work together to quickly resolve this issue.

“To avoid situations like this in the future, Congress must… ensure that vital services at America’s major airports, including air traffic control tower operations, are maintained at a level that keeps pace with travel demand.”

The FAA advises travellers to visit www.fly.faa.gov for the latest airport delay information.